Can a Lamp Change Your Mood?

Verilux seems to think so. They've dedicated a portion of their business to creating natural sunlight lamps that help combat the "winter blues," or a milder form of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I don't know about you, but I sure feel a bit more down in the wintertime than in summer. There is just something about being cooped up in the house and watching the sun set at 4pm that isn't all that stimulating. Could a new lamp be the answer?

The HappyLight® Sunshine Supplement Light System is an expansive series of healthy lighting products, featuring the company's advanced Natural Spectrum® Light technology. The HappyLight 6000 was recently featured on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in her "Everything you Need to Get out of the House in the Morning" holiday gift basket.

The HappyLight 6000, which weighs about 2 pounds and costs $90 on Amazon, simulates natural daylight to deliver up to 6,000 LUX (the metric unit for measuring the amount of light that falls on an object) of white light for improving overall mood, energy and concentration. Basically, it activates the body's natural mood enhancers without exposing you to harmful UV rays. You'll bask in the "sun" while reading or sewing or typing on the computer.



So does it work?

Wendy from Domestic Sweetheart blog has been using one at work for a couple of weeks and she swears by it. "As soon as I get in the office I make my cup of jasmine pearl tea and turn on my HappyLight," she says. "Since I am not a morning person (mostly because of my problems falling asleep at night), the HappyLight has been a tremendous help for me. I can honestly say that it provides me the extra energy needed to get through the day."

Costco users agree, giving it 4.5/5 stars. Whether you believe in light therapy or not, changing out your lamp for a HappyLight could shine a ray of hope on your winter blues.